World: Help!!!

Today I want to talk about the heroes in Japan that are fighting as I write these lines, against every possible odd in order to contain and avoid the nuclear reactor dangerous situation, to become the next greatest catastrophe...the next Chernobyl.

Following the powerful quake and subsequent tsunami, a nuclear catastrophe warning became evident. Thousands of people in the vecinity of the nuclear plants are evacuated, only a handful of men and woman against their own lives have decided to stay behind and do the ultime sacrifice, effort to save their countryfellow folks from cancer and genetics diseases.
It is not mandatory, they do NOT have to do it, yet they are.

This reminds me of the true love for others modeled by Christ. He stripped from all his rights, his privileged position and did the dirty job, the one no one else could do. He understood, he had the means to achieve the salvation of the humanity.

I studied a little bit japan's cultural behaviour in college. One thing I know they value, is loyalty. For them, family is a sacred thing, the well being of their people is of national importance.

What makes a man decide to do anything that would bring him to death?

I think of today's world and how selfish we have became. Now, selfishness is not something new, it has been there for a good while. But with all sort of insecurities our world faces today, namely, terrorism, poverty, high oil prices, etc, we all tend to be extremely careful when it comes to making provision for oneself and forget about the rest. First me, second me and if possible third me.

How then, should a follower of Christ make the "love one to another as Christ loved us" become more alive and not just a pretty Bible story? How or what can we learn from the japanese culture and these handful of men and women that are working as I write these lines to save thousands and perhaps million of people while been aware of their possible death as a result of the radiation?

There should be a balance in everything, I can almost hear you reply. The Scripture tells us a different panorama. It shows us the broader picture of a people been taught to give up everything for the sake of others. But if I give my whole salary to the homeless guy on the corner of Via Espana avenue, then how will I survive? I think, the Scripture taught a deeper principle in here. It talks about a people who would care one for another one, where hard work, great community bonds and care for the needy would work all together for the good of the nation. What good does it have to give all to someone else, if that someone else is in need because of his own will?

The issue is as easy as it is difficult. We can only lay our lives for others if we have accepted Jesus's forgiveness into our hearts, we can only receive forgiveness into our hearts if we come to Him and repent. As a result, we would be better citizens, better parents,better students, better businessmen, better drivers on the traffic jams and better anything, you name it.

Lot of Thinking and More Thinking

I have to admit that for me, these past four weeks have been a mental turmoil, very disruptive in different levels and have consumed a lot of energy, shed some tears out of rage and frustration and overall have taken away hours of sleep. I wouldn't be nagging about it had it been a consequence of a broken heart, a job related issue or even a physical sickness. I would have never imagined that I would feel this way as a result of a spiritual related issue in my community of faith and while I will not go into details in here, I can earnestly tell that at times, it has made me feel overwhelmed and overcome, but even though I have been dealing with these emotions, it has been made clear to me that I am not alone, that I am not the first to go thru these, and wont be the last one, until Christ comes yet again and ends with the sin, confusion and death. I have a new challenge, a task a mission to fulfill and above all the promise from God that I am not alone, forsaken and forgotten, that He shall be with me in every step towards the achieving of a goal.

I will end up this entry quoting my dear friend C.S. Lewis: "EL verdadero trabajo de todo maestro moral es seguir llevandonos, una y otra vez, a los antiguos y sencillos principios que estamos tan intranquilos por ignorar, del mismo modo que una y otra vez se lleva a un caballo a la valla que se ha negado a saltar"

God Speed my dear Ruth

I can remember like if it was yesterday the day Ruth step forward in our small group meeting and shared with everyone her dream about joining a mission trip that would take her out of the country for two years into different countries and continents. It was a wild dream that would involve so many strategic changes and a lot of logistic. Several months after in another small group meeting, she requested prayer, for it was proving to be a hard thing to grasp the dream and make it happen, there were important set backs but she did not give it up then and would not give it up now. She left her job stability, rented away her apartment, sold her car, said good buy to her long time friends in a effort to fulfill what she felt in her heart was a call from God, to follow Jesus's steps of love, mercy and justice, towards the needy.

Today as I look into your eyes and hug you at the airport I can't help it and remember all this, and think that you are an example of perseverance my dear friend and co-disciple.

May you be and do every bit of what you are and can do towards the development of the Kingdom of Christ. The ultimate prize for your effort and endurance shall come from Above.

May God bring you back in time for new adventures.

Love you Ruth

Achieving another Goal in Life

Many years ago, when I began working with people and dealing with working relationships at different level, I instantly knew this was something I would love and enjoy doing it. Upon coming back to Panama, things did not turn out the way I had intended and I ended up studying a master degree in business and human resources administration. I always thought the working experience I enjoyed abroad, opened my horizons and perspective. It added a lot to my life. Studying at college an MBA not only provided me with the latest tools of administration at all levels, but made me realize that acquiring knowledge in a continuing way of all sort is so important if you want to make a difference. Of course, although knowledge and been smart is good and important, more important is to be wise. Wisdom is the ability to use the knowledge and intelligence in a proper and effective way.

Anyways, I finally ended up after the longest 15 months and I reckon it was stressful, challenging, but kept my brain and neurons active. I have to thank God for allowing me the financial means to achieve so, my good ol' friends Alexis and Ariel for been so understanding in numerous times and all those people I have learned to love in the past 2 years who know share part of my life. So many times did I want to spend my leisure time on the beach, at a restaurant, on the park, just about anywhere to share and celebrate our relationships, but I had to sacrificed many of those for the sake of been responsible with the studies.
2010 is almost gone, and can happily say that I am satisfied with this new achievement and hope to make sense of this in addition to the rest of competencies and abilities I have been gifted with to be part of those who make a difference and bring integral solutions in every level wherever God's will lead me to.

Special thanks to Dad and Mom who supported me in many different ways and encouraged me to finish it up during a very difficult situation back on february.

Mom's Legacy

Every-single-day must be a good day to say "I love you mom" and really mean it, not just from the lips-out.

While I am sitting here at a very slow and extremely rainy day at work, thinking, hey...I should be home with mom and the gang, sitting on the couch and sipping tea as probably everyone does on a mother's day I have to think about the legacy that her life has left so far in my life.

I have to remember that though been an imperfect woman, she has shown determination, courage and lots of love.

I do remember vivid episodes of changes she had to make in her character in order to be a better mom and wife. I recall this phase in our family life when she would come home after a long day of work and find such a mess the house and three kids throwing the house upside down and she would get real mad. But after the years passed by and she became maturer she would recognize that loosing her temper would just not change the situation and would just do worse than good. I remember this one time when she came to a messed up home after her work shift and I was expecting her to become mad and she did not. She began calmly giving instructions to set up everything again.

As a young boy I noticed that change and it really made an impact in my life. Today I look back and I can see how her love for her terrible children drove her to make changes in her character for the better raising up of us.

I have to recall all the times when she would be the most influential person in her family (still is)(uncles, grandparents) and would be the first person to be there for them and bring them to make a prayer to God for healing, for consolation, during birthdays and funerals. She became the person to turn during bad weathers and continues to be. Somehow, her life was shaped throughout the years to become what she is and be the support so many people badly need in their hospital's beds.

Special mention to the occasion when she fought a breast cancer and won. I was at the time majoring as a physical therapist and never thought I would have to be involved that much into my mom's physical rehab. Though there was this one particular time, she thought she was not going to make it, she never gave up and the strength God invested in her she hung up to it like a hanger to a clothes bar. She became a stronger woman from that particular experience almost 10 years ago.

This woman is my mom. I am a blessed man to have her as my mom. I could have been born somewhere else perhaps, but God allowed me to be part of a Pandales-Garcia family.

Love you mom.